Post from March 29, 2018

SETDA’s Annual Partnerships Include Value for All – Including Startups

SETDA exists to lead, inspire, and empower the education community to leverage technology for learning. Our association serves as a forum for inter-state collaboration and cooperation, the furthering of public-private partnerships in support of public education goals, state-federal relations and advocacy, and professional learning for education leaders across the nation.

The SETDA strategic plan is a concise statement of our direction and of the value for state and partner engagement. This plan reaffirms our commitment to being the national leadership organization supporting all states to advance education through technology policy and practice. One thing we have learned is that none of us can do this work alone. That is why we focus on our partnerships, which help us maintain a future-focused, holistic view on how to leverage technology for learning, while keeping an eye toward the future of what’s possible for education through successfully integrated technology.

SETDA offers two types of annual partnership programs – one for established edtech companies who have been in operation for more than five years (Gold and Platinum levels), and one specifically for startups, known as the Emerging Partners program. Our current list of private sector partners can be found at setda.org/partners. SETDA engages in a unique way with its partners –including the startups. The Emerging Partners Program is one way that SETDA nurtures and shapes the pipeline of aspiring edtech solutions and quality learning resources for the digital age. This week is the last week that Edtech startups can apply for the 2018-2019 cohort of the Emerging Partners Program. There is an April 1, 2018 deadline for companies to join this year’s cohort. The 2018 application is here. Learn more about the Emerging Partners Program here.

Companies selected to participate in this program will benefit from a variety of opportunities to showcase their products and services, receive feedback and advice on their plans, and engage in meaningful dialogue with state educational technology leaders and industry leaders, including participation in a high-energy pitch fest at the 2018 SETDA Emerging Technologies Leadership Forum in Chicago, IL just before the ISTE conference at the end of June. The list of SETDA’s current Emerging Partners is here.

Whether it is by working closely with our partners to shape the products and services coming to the K-12 market or with other associations and nonprofits who share mutual goals for school improvement, SETDA members and staff have been instrumental in brokering meaningful partnerships with a range of companies, organizations, and foundations. “By taking responsibility for engaging with emerging education and technology companies, state level digital learning leaders play a valuable role in ensuring that future educational technology products and services are of high-quality and align with state education goals and needs. The Emerging Private Sector Partners program is a fun, engaging way to learn from one another in a highly supportive environment, while also providing a vitally important lens to our vision and mission of improving education through technology policy and practice,” said Dr. Tracy Weeks, SETDA Executive Director.

From the private sector perspective, our partners “value the ability to work alongside SETDA members to inform the development of products and tools,” according to Dr. Kari Stubbs, BrainPop. Dr. Stubbs shares her thoughts in the short video clip below. All of our partners say that they value the leadership network, connections and influence that their SETDA partnership creates. The relationships that are developed are mutually valuable, to the company, to SETDA, and to the field of educational technology.

SETDA highly values its strong private sector partnerships with those who share our passion and our aims, and nurtures its relationships with leading educational technology companies, associations, foundations and other private organizations. All of SETDA’s Private Sector Partners are tremendously beneficial and remain an important part of our vibrant network, our vision and plan, and of our “family.” For more information about SETDA’s PSP, and to learn about the myriad of benefits that a partnership with SETDA offers, visit: https://www.setda.org/partners/ Finally, please encourage startups that you work with to apply to the Emerging Partner program today. The 2018 Emerging Partners Program application is here: 2018 Application